Review by Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) (Dec. 2023)

Christy Olsen was the guest speaker for last month's Tucson Pastel Society general meeting. She is a noted Tucson pastelist, our vice president, a teacher at the Art Verve Academy, and an engineer. She has a B.A. in Art History and Anthropology and a B.S. in Computer Science.

2023 November Program Review

Written by Ellen Cholski,
Published by the Tucson Pastel Society,
December 2023. p. 2.

Published Newsletter Article

All About Degas!

All about Degas was the title of her interactive presentation. Edgar Degas was a French impressionist famous for his pastel and oil paintings, mainly of dancers. He was also an avid user of monoprints in his paintings. While showing examples of his work, Christy shared that these monoprints helped him be painterly and loose.

During the demonstration

Monoprints or monotypes create an image that can only be printed once, with sometimes one additional ghost image. Christy demonstrated how to make a monoprint. She uses Akua ink because it dries quickly, and she prefers Strathmore printmaking paper.

First, she placed ink on a glass pane and then rolled the ink smooth with a brayer. Then she drew in the ink with her finger covered with a baby wipe and mentioned how various devices could be used to make a design. Once she had her desired design, she placed paper over it and pressed the paper with a clean brayer to create the monoprint. This is printing without a press.

During the demonstration

Christy enjoys responsive drawing on paper that already has a design. Sometimes, instead of a monoprint, she will use an inked brayer to make the marks for her background. Her advice was not to be meticulous and always experiment to make new discoveries. At the end of her presentation, we had the opportunity to either create a monoprint or paint on an already prepared monoprint.

Thank you, Christy.

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium, unite pastel artists, and organize professional development and artistic growth opportunities that increase the community's awareness of the versatility and value of pastel fine art. Find them online at tucsonpastelsociety.org.

Event Date & Time

November 15, 2023 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

Location

Tucson Pastel Society Art Center
2447 N. Los Altos Ave. Tucson, Arizona 85705

Admission

This event was open to the general public and TPS art guild members. Admission was free.

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Responsive Drawing (Jan. 2024)

Learn a new approach where we start without a blank page and respond to our drawings. Every element on the page affects how we perceive the other or surrounding elements. Shapes, forms, or patterns are all related concepts but have nuances that set them apart via the Art Verve Academy.

You'll be guided through exercises that explore figure-ground relationships. Learn to design shapes that integrate with the background and discover a variety of edges that may be used to distinguish shapes that share a common boundary.

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Jan. 6, 13, & 20, 2024
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Lecture & demonstration, studio practice with individual feedback, and one-on-one instruction.
Level: All levels are welcome! No experience is needed. Just be open to trying new drawing methods or tools!

Medium: Charcoal, Conté crayons, Pastels, or Sanguine
Technique: Learn how to create shapes, forms, or patterns that integrate with the background.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Guest Speaker & Demonstration Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) (Nov. 2023)

Invited to demonstrate and lecture!

Sponsored by the Tucson Pastel Society (TPS), this event will be held in the TPS Art Center in Tucson, Arizona.

All About Degas!

Join us for an interactive demonstration! We'll cover Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917), a master pastelist during the late 19th century. It's well known that between 1874 and 1886, Degas participated in seven shows, now known as the infamous Impressionist Exhibitions.

However, what is less known is that Degas used monoprints as the underpainting for his pastels! Monoprints have a unique aesthetic, using a painterly process that does not require a large printing press or expensive materials. Try some of Degas' techniques. You'll be amazed by its simplicity and perhaps make a few discoveries yourself!

Before We Could Vote. 11x14. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium, unite pastel artists, and organize professional development and artistic growth opportunities that increase the community's awareness of the versatility and value of pastel fine art. Find them online at tucsonpastelsociety.org.

Event Date & Time

November 15, 2023 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

Location

Tucson Pastel Society Art Center
2447 N. Los Altos Ave. Tucson, Arizona 85705

Admission

This event is open to the general public and art guild members. Admission is free.

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Saguaro Exhibit in the Herberger Art Gallery(Juried Exhibition & Art Sale 2023)

Was accepted into the show!

The iconic Saguaro Cactus is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. It can grow to over 40 feet, live for more than 150 years, and its blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. The interpretation of this Sentinel of the Southwest will be the theme of this juried exhibition.

Saguaro on Sunday. 9x12. Pastel on paper by Christy Olsen.

Juried Exhibition & Art Sale

This exhibition showcases the distinctive characteristics of the iconic Saguaro cactus, featuring thirty artists who live in Arizona. Juried works on display reveal how artists express their unique interpretation of the Saguaro. This exhibit will be on display in the main gallery at the Herber Theater Center Main Gallery and is open to the general public.

Dates

August 4 – October 1, 2023

Artist's Reception

Saturday, August 12, 2023 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Admisison is at no change. 

Exhibition Flyer

About the Host

The Herberger Theater Center actively contributes and has played a vital role in Arizona's education and cultural evolution for over three decades. Today, Arizona continues to come into its own and take its place among the most populous states in the country for diverse and engaging experiences in the arts. 

Built as a performance venue in 1989 in downtown Phoenix, the Herberger Theater provides a forum for time-honored musicals, award-winning new plays, classic operas, dance performances, and artwork exhibitions.

It is also an incubator for growth. It supports and fosters both the performing and visual arts and has paved the way as the foremost art institution for rich cultural events and diverse experiences. 

About the Gallery

All artwork is for sale, with a portion of the proceeds from each piece benefiting the Herberger Theater's programs that are committed to bringing artists and the community together. 

The Herberger Theater's Art Gallery features creative and inspiring work showcasing the artists of Arizona. The gallery curators are Connie & A.O. Tucker. 

Herberger Theater Center in Downtown Phoenix, AZ

Herberger Theater Center Gallery Second Floor

Herberger Theater Center Gallery Main Gallery

Location

Herberger Theater Center is located in Downtown Phoenix, adjacent to the Phoenix Convention Center and St. Mary's Basilica.
222 East Monroe Street,
Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Parking Options

Unfortunately, The Herberger Theater Center does not currently validate parking. Below are some options.

Discount Parking at Arizona Center (Most Affordable), where you may purchase your parking pass from the Herberger TTheater'sBox Office or online (Click Here) and park at the Arizona Center Parking Garage for only $6.00! Located at 401 E. Fillmore St. Valid Monday-Friday from 5:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. and all day Saturday and Sunday. Guests do not need their parking passes until exiting the garage. Click here for directions.

Chase Parking Garage (Nearest in Proximity) is located at 160 E. Monroe St. and is directly across 2nd street from the Herberger Theater. Click here for directions.

200 EVB, also known as Arizona Republic Parking Garage (The Straight Shot), is located at 460N N. 3rd St. and is a 1 block straight shot down second street from the theater. Click here for directions.

Street Meter Parking (Living on the Edge) as there are a limited number of street meter parking spots available in the downtown area. Please read the individual meters for details on what length of time it offers. Meters accept most debit and credit cards and Quarters, Dimes, and Nickels as payment.

Gallery Hours

Visit the Herberger Theater Center website for the current information on hours. This exhibit may be viewed before and after performances, during opening receptions, or other events. It may also be open Monday through Friday, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Sale (in-person)

Artwork may be purchased during the show but must stay hung throughout the exhibition. Enter the gallery through the box office doors and then go up the stairs.  

Sale (online)

Artwork may be purchased online via the Herberger Theater Center website or call +1 (602) 252-8497. Click here to view the exhibit online. 

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What Can You Do With Walnut Ink? (Oct. 2023)

Explore walnut ink and its rich sepia tones. Rembrandt, DaVinci, and Van Gogh all used it in their sketches and drawings. Discover what they found so enchanting and why they used this extremely forgiving water-soluble medium.

One dip of a brush will get you a wide variety of tones or lighten up dark areas with a wet brush. Create quick, playful sketches on the go or finished pieces.

Lucca. 7x10. Walnut Ink on toned paper by Christy Olsen.

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Oct 7, 14 & 21, 2023
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705) via the Art Verve Academy.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Walnut Drawing Ink or Similar
Technique: Sketching, working with dip pens and or brushes
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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The Power of Pastel in Ironwood Gallery(Juried Exhibition & Art Sale 2023)

Was accepted into the show!

Pastels have been a long-established medium in art history since its beginning in 16th-century Europe. Even as trends and tastes ebb and flow with the times, pastels have remained a constant among artists of every age for their versatility of use and effects.

Rush Hour in Caye Caulker. 9x12. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

Pastels are unique in that their matte finish, with its painterly quality, is combined with the immediacy of drawing. This powerful combination makes this medium a staple in the contemporary artist's toolbox.

Juried Exhibition & Art Sale

This event is open to the general public. Artist's reception is at no charge. Admission to the museum is required for other dates and times.

This juried exhibition showcases the unique characteristics of pastels, as each artist expresses their inspiration through landscapes, structures, still life, portraits, and abstractions. Some works are created en plein air, rendered quickly with their subjects in real-time, while others are painstakingly executed in the studio over considerably longer periods. This collection of works by members of the Tucson Pastel Society truly reveals "The Power of Pastels."

Sixty-six paintings were accepted out of the one hundred and five submissions from multiple art guilds. Subject matter genres include landscapes, culture, structures, still life, etc., not necessarily limited to the Sonoran Desert region. The exhibition showcases some of Arizona's most accomplished pastel artists.

Juror

Desmond O-Hagen
Fine artist and master pastelist.

Exhibition Dates

March 11, 2023 - June 4, 2023

Artist's Reception

Friday, March 10, 2023 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

Refreshments will be served. Admission is free to the reception. If you go to the reception, enter through admissions and tell them you are there to see the show. They will admit you at no charge. You may also park in the side parking lot that is closer to the gallery. Directions are listed below.

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium, unite pastel artists, and organize professional development and artistic growth opportunities that increase the community's awareness of the versatility and value of pastel fine art. Find them online at tucsonpastelsociety.org.

Web

TucsonPastelSociety.org

About the Gallery

Ironwood Gallery is an upscale art gallery and beautiful space that is transformed for each unique exhibit. It is located on the grounds of the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona, which includes live plants and animals to further the conservation message of its exhibits.

Inside Ironwood Gallery

Location

Ironwood Gallery
On the grounds of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona 85743

Ironwood Gallery

Available Parking

Parking for the artist's reception will be available.

Parking for the Artist's Reception
Friday, March 10, 2023 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

Gallery Hours

Daily (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.).

Sale

Artwork may be purchased during the show but must stay hung throughout the exhibition.

For Purchasing Information:
Phone +1 (520) 883-3024

Collaborative Challenge Piece

The challenge piece was accepted into the show!

One collaborative piece featuring nine different interpretations of a shared subject is featured. This final work is for sale during the show. Proceeds benefit ASDM and the TPS.

Art challenge. 8x8. Pastel on paper by Christy Olsen.

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The Event

Image from the installation.

Opening Artist's Reception

Framed Collaborative Piece

Opening Artist's Reception

Opening Artist's Reception

Opening Artist's Reception

Honors

Received and honorable mention award from judge for Rush Hour in Caye Caulker.

Rush Hour in Caye Caulker received an honorable mention award.

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Painting in Gouache Basics & Essentials(Spring 2023)

Learn how to paint with gouache! This versatile, fast-drying water medium, also known as opaque watercolor, is simple to set up and easy to clean up.

The colors are rich & exceptionally vibrant because each tube has a high concentration of pigments. Use it in multiple ways, including travel sketching, color studies on the go, or paint your own miniature masterpiece!!

Blue & Orange. 8x10. Goauche on paper by Christy Olsen.

Learn the basics & essentials to paint in gouache, or build on your current painting skills with some guided practice. You only need a few primary colors to get started.

Meets: (3) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Apr. 8, 15 & 22 in 2023
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Gouache or Opaque Watercolor
Technique: Includes scumbling, impasto, veiling & washes.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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